Oil leak - rear main???

Ashlexadd

Ashlexadd

New Member
Aug 15, 2009
49
Bradenton, FL
Boat Info
210 Sundeck 2000
Engines
5.0 EFI 240hp
I've been leaking engine oil for the past few months. I've been searching for the source and narrowed it down to the lower rear of the engine. It leaks the same amount weather running or sitting and is losing about a quart a month.

The pan looks OK and the pan gasket (as much as I can reach to inspect). I also don't feel any oil around the connection for the remote oil filter. It also seems to leak a little more when the front of the trailer is jacked way up (but that may be my imagination).

I'm worried it is the rear main seal. The engine comparment on the 210SD is really cramped, is there a way to determine if it's the rear main without pulling the engine???

Any advise is appreciated.
 
A quart a month is fairly severe. Is your oil filter remote? Other places to check: Valve covers, head gaskets, oil pressure/temperature senders.

If its definitely coming from somewhere around the bottom, your gonna have to pull the motor at some point to fix it.
 
I had a similar issue when I first got my boat (used). I looked and looked, but could not locate the leak on my own. I finally had it checked by a mechanic, who pinpointed it to the seal on the remote oil filter adapter (the part that screws in the bottom of the engine where the oil filter would normally go).

I did the repair work myself, but it did take the mechanic's help to find the leak.

-Seth
 
Thanks for the responses.

It's definately coming from somewhere low cause it leaks while the boat is not running. After it sits for a month it will be about a quart low, I'll fill it back up to the full line and run it 10-15 hrs on the weekend checking the oil several times while out. The level does not noticable drop over the few days were out boating but then after sitting for 3-4 weeks it is down a quart (with a nice puddle sitting under the drain hole). I just checked it as we are headed out tomorrow and I'm down a quart and 1/2 after sitting for the last 6 weeks.

I was also thinking (hoping) it was the remote oil filter connection point, I can't actually get my hand all the way to where it screws into the block, but there is no oil on the lines that drop down from the connection point. I was also thinking the drawing plug, but my arms are too short to reach that either.

I'm considering pulling off the manifolds and risers to get better access, but I don't know if I'll be able to get to the rear main seal if it turns out it's not the plug or oil filter. Is any of this accessable when the drive is removed?

Pulling the motor to find the leak sounds expensive. I wonder if I'm better off just adding a quart when needed and waiting till some other major work needs to be done and then pull the motor
 
Ashlexadd said:
Thanks for the responses.

It's definately coming from somewhere low cause it leaks while the boat is not running. After it sits for a month it will be about a quart low, I'll fill it back up to the full line and run it 10-15 hrs on the weekend checking the oil several times while out. The level does not noticable drop over the few days were out boating but then after sitting for 3-4 weeks it is down a quart (with a nice puddle sitting under the drain hole). I just checked it as we are headed out tomorrow and I'm down a quart and 1/2 after sitting for the last 6 weeks.

I was also thinking (hoping) it was the remote oil filter connection point, I can't actually get my hand all the way to where it screws into the block, but there is no oil on the lines that drop down from the connection point. I was also thinking the drawing plug, but my arms are too short to reach that either.

I'm considering pulling off the manifolds and risers to get better access, but I don't know if I'll be able to get to the rear main seal if it turns out it's not the plug or oil filter. Is any of this accessable when the drive is removed?

Pulling the motor to find the leak sounds expensive. I wonder if I'm better off just adding a quart when needed and waiting till some other major work needs to be done and then pull the motor
Click to expand...
No additional access with the drive removed.
 
I believe every rear main seal is below the normal oil level. As such it will not continue
to leak when the engine is not running. Compare your "cold" oil level a few hours
after shutdown with the "cold" level a few weeks later. If it has changed I cannot imagine a leak other then the pan itself or any drain/oil coolant hose that is connected at the bottom of the pan. I had a oil coolant hose leaking. It seemed to keep leaking after shutdown but all it was doing was dripping the residual oil into the bilge. The oil loss occurred when it was running.
 
I had the same kind of leak and it was the remote oil filter. The part that fits where the filter would normaly go was loose.I used the old card board under the motor trick to find my leak
 
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